Summary: Brokeness/Spiritual Gifts

Psalm 34:17-18 – “The righteous cry out and the Lords hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Psalm 51:16-17 – “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

“Broken for Better Use.” It doesn’t sound quite right does it? If you are like me you probably can’t think of too many things that you’ve broken that were better because they were broken! In fact, I tried to think of some really important or expensive items that I’ve broken down through the years just to see if I could find something that was better after I broke it.

EXAMPLES:

Johnny Crackfire Rifle (Lopsided Twins - same clothes, same hair)

Grandma Hull’s antique lamp

Garage door and back windows

Try as I might, I can’t think of any good that came from breaking those things. For instance, I had to go back to making my own rifle noises when we played cowboys and Indians after I broke my “Johnny C. Rifle.” I broke my mom’s heart when we broke Great-Grandma’s lamp (Dad tried his best to glue all the pieces together again – but as with Humpty Dumpty – “all the kings horses/men” couldn’t put Grandma’s lamp back together again.) And as for the broken windows – they came right out of my allowance. None of these rejects from “broken things” are high on my list of “fun” or “good” things that have happened to me.

Oh yeah, I did break my brother’s head open in a pillow fight and he turned out to be a good-looking kid – but I don’t think I had anything to do with that. No, the truth is, when things are broken they’re usually useless, not better. Usually – but not always. I want us to look at three different stories in the Bible where something was “broken for better use.”

A. What Was Broken? The bread and the fish. (Five loaves and some fish to be more specific.) How do we know they were broken? vs. 12 – “Gather the pieces that are left over.” LVB – “scraps”; KJV – “fragments.” (signifies breaking)

Matthew 15:36 – similar story, “feeding of the 4,000.” Here, they had seven loaves and some small fish. And we read, “Then He took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, He broke them and gave them to His disciples, and they in turn, to the people.” (Don’t know how the miracle happened. EXPLAIN.)

B. Who Gave the Lunch? We all know that! A little lad or “boy” according to vs. 9. We don’t even know who he was. The writer didn’t think he was important enough to mention his name. “A boy” … that’s all it says.

C. To Whom was the Lunch Given? Vs. 11 says, “Jesus then took the loaves…” The lunch came to Jesus who then distributed it to the disciples, and they in turn, to the people. Something wonderful always happen when we give what’s in our hands to Jesus!

D. For What Purpose was this Lunch Given? To feed 5,000 hungry men, women and children – and – so that Christ’s power could be shown through the performing of a miracle.